Chapter Two
Seth quietly unlocked Jessica's kitchen door and tiptoed inside. He didn't want to wake her if she was upstairs sleeping. He immediately found her sitting at the table with her head on her arms fast asleep. Her pale face stood out clearly. It was almost time for her medicine so he went upstairs and retrieved it before coming back down again.
He called her name softly but she didn't stir. Standing behind her, he rubbed her shoulders and gave them a squeeze.
"Seth, that feels wonderful," she sighed. "Making love to you would be the best."
Seth stared at her in shock. Her eyes were closed so he thought she must be talking in her sleep. He wondered about her statement. Did she mean she wanted to make love to him or was she just stating it would be a good experience? He continued massaging her shoulders lightly. "Let's take your medicine, Jess."
She didn't stir so Seth shook her slightly. It took a couple of minutes but she blearily opened her eyes briefly. She took her pills and swallowed the water he offered.
She was about to settle back at the table when he urged her to go to bed. She shook her head no. "You'll leave me again."
Seth was torn. While he wanted to stay with her, he had to balance what was appropriate with what she needed. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep again but first you need to eat something."
She was shaking her head again. "No, I don't want you to leave."
Deciding not to argue, he helped her up and they went upstairs. He returned with a bowl of soup on a tray and watched as she slowly ate about half of the bowl. Her cough was painful to hear but he was encouraged that she would start to feel better within a day or so.
"My father used to tell me stories when I was sick and my mother used to sing to me," she said softly as she pushed the tray away.
Seth picked up the tray. "I doubt you'll want me to sing to you. I only know songs from when I was in the army." He chuckled lightly. "I could tell you a story though."
She smiled at him. "But first get ready for bed, go to the bathroom, brush your teeth and whatever else you need to do."
She rose slowly and went down the hall while Seth took the tray downstairs and cleaned up the kitchen.
She was back in bed by the time Seth returned. He tucked her in and adjusted her pillows before sitting in the chair next to her bed. She patted the bed beside her but he shook his head and took her hand. Rubbing it gently he began his story.
"It all started when I decided to go to medical school. I had seen so much during the war and I learned a lot about being a medic. Talk about learning on the run. Instructions would be given to me from my superiors that would be working on someone else a few feet away. I learned so much and they would tell me things while being transported to another location. How to recognize shock, knowing when a limb could be saved or had to be amputated, how to sterilize an area. Stabilizing the men so they could be transferred to medical help was crucial."
Unknowingly he began rubbing her fingers. "Jess, it was the most fulfilling part of my time there. My CO knew my dreams and assisted me in every way he could. He was a Harvard man and that's where I was headed after he made a few phone calls. Jess, I was poor. Yes, I saved my pay from the military but things were booming after the war and tuition was steep. I somehow managed to work and study. I loved it!"
He watched her eyes close even as she smiled at him. "I worked harder than I ever had before but it called to me, Jess. Sometimes it didn't even feel like work. I love helping people. One day during my internship I had a patient with several symptoms but every test came back negative and none of the drugs were working. It was a real puzzle. Even my attending physicians had no clue. I puzzled over it for weeks to no avail. We were going to have to transfer the patient to a larger hospital, probably Mayo when I happened to come across a similar case in an old book. It was a romance novel someone left in the waiting room and I picked it up and had it on me when I took a coffee break."
He paused but she opened her eyes so he continued as she closed them again. "An old wives tale cured the patient. It was a very humbling experience but it made me not discount every potential solution, no matter how bizarre."
Jessica squeezed his hand. "You are a very good doctor, Seth. Are you going to kiss me goodnight?" Her voice was soft and he knew she was drifting off to sleep.
Leaning forward he kissed her forehead and sat back. She had a frown on her face. He leaned forward again and kissed her cheek but her frown grew. Sighing he tried once more and kissed her lips. Her sleepy smile warmed his heart but also worried him. He had never kissed her lips before but his lips tingled and he wondered how it affected her.
He left as soon as she was sleeping deeply enough. He thought about staying in her guest room but she didn't really need him overnight. She was just a little clingy because she didn't feel well. He knew it was likely she would feel better in the morning.
Jessica woke up slowly. She tried to remember what happened yesterday but had little recall. She remembered Seth kissing her goodnight though. He kissed her on the lips! She smiled widely. Showering and dressing wasn't as difficult and she went downstairs determined to make her own breakfast.
It didn't take long for her to need a morning nap so she settled on the couch with a blanket. She hoped Seth would stop by for lunch but she wasn't sure he would find the time. Closing her eyes she slept the morning away.
She startled awake and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was two in the afternoon. She rose and went to the bathroom before going into the kitchen. She heated up some minestrone and found a roll to eat with it. Seth's soup was very good but her appetite failed her and she didn't finish the bowl.
She figured Seth would come by after work so she decided to change into one of her loveliest nightgowns. She smiled thinking about his reaction. Would he comment or ignore it? She changed her bedding, even the quilt and somehow found the energy to vacuum and dust her bedroom. He probably wouldn't even notice…
Seth arrived at Jessica's just before sunset. He needed to check on her and make sure she was taking her medication. Patients always stopped taking their meds as soon as they began to feel better.
"Jessica!" he called as he entered the kitchen.
"Up here, Seth," she responded, trying to speak loudly enough. Her voice was still hoarse and gravely though. She heard his steps as he reached the staircase and looked toward the door.
Seth found her with a book on her lap. She looked beautiful with the warm glow of her bedside lamp casting a soft light around her. He reached her and immediately took her wrist. Jessica just barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
"You must be feeling better," commented Seth. "You changed your sheets and the rug looks vacuumed."
"Seth! I also dusted," she grumped. "You didn't mention my nightgown." she smirked at him.
He stared at her for a moment. "Jess, I'm afraid I crossed a boundary I shouldn't have. You're my patient first and foremost."
Jessica dropped her head. "I'm sorry Seth, I shouldn't have made you lie down with me." She twisted her fingers before clenching them. "I…I wasn't thinking properly. I felt…" she trailed off without finishing.
"You felt sick and wanted to be comforted," finished Seth. "There's nothing wrong with that, Jess. I don't want you to think I took advantage of a vulnerable time for you."
Her face was pale with two large splotches of red showing her embarrassment.
"Come now, no need to be upset or embarrassed," chided Seth. "When you're back to full health, invite me to lie with you again." He lifted her chin and once he caught her eyes, he winked.
Jessica gave a tentative smile before shaking her head. "Will you tell me another story?" she asked, changing the subject.
"If you'd like," he answered. He took her temperature, which was normal, and then asked her to take a deep breath while listening to her lungs. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't stare at her chest.
"I hope I won't have to drag another kiss out of you," she reflected. "I practically had to beg you."
"It's a line I didn't think I should cross, Jess. Not when you're ill and not thinking properly."
"And now?" she asked.
"Jess, what are you doing?"
"I don't know. I think it dawned on me that we might have something special but how far do we take it?"
"Are you feeling lonely?"
"I don't think lonely is the correct word because I have you when I need you. I think I want more intimacy and you're the one on my mind I think I want it with. Do you think it's something you want to explore?"
"I can't risk losing you in my life, Jess. I know life holds no guarantees for mere mortals but I'm not a gambling man either."
Jessica nodded. "I'd like to try and find out how much more our relationship could be but if at any time we want to stop, I'm sure we could make things normal between us again."
Seth stared at her. Loving her would be so easy but losing her would be hell on earth for him.
She smiled beguilingly at him. "We can talk again in a few weeks when I'm feeling much better and you'll be reassured I'm not overmedicated."
Seth settled in the chair next to her bed. He lifted her hand and gave it a squeeze.
"I'm ready for my story," announced Jessica.
"There have been three women that touched my life," began Seth. "Molly, who wasn't really a woman at the time but she profoundly touched my life. As you know my childhood wasn't the best and she was the only bright spot for years. I couldn't have loved anyone better. I don't think I even knew how to love." Jessica entwined her fingers with his.
"She was a breath of fresh air in my life. Unfortunately as you know, my older brother Richard knew a little bit more about life than I did and he and Molly ran off together. My heart ached. I thought my life was over. I wanted it over. I ran off and enlisted and did everything I could to avoid seeing them." He looked up at the ceiling. "I was married when I learned she died so I never got to speak with her, never got to ask her what I was lacking."
"Seth, you weren't lacking anything. I bet she loved you and just didn't know how to tell you she was in love with your brother. You can't control who you fall in love with."
"Ayuh, that's probably true. We were the best of friends." Seth sighed. "It took about ten years for me to start opening up my heart again and I immediately fell in love with Ruth when I did. It was a whirlwind of conflicted feelings, much different from Molly. I knew it was love though. We became the best of friends, married, had Margie and I was, once again, in the happiest period of my life."
He shifted in his seat then turned to look at Jessica. "When she died it was far worse than when Molly left me. I wanted to die. If Margie hadn't needed me, I might have. Even then, it was drowning myself in work that helped me to begin recovering. I didn't really though. I was functioning again but men weren't meant to be alone, Jess. I truly believe that. I became crotchety, as Margie called it. I complained, grumbled, and generally grouched my way through life. I knew it wasn't possible to love again."
Seth released her hand and stood. He began pacing. "Then we met. You came in with a backache but you didn't want me to treat you. You wanted my help in solving a difficult spot in a book you were writing. Slowly, we became friends. I admired you from the start, heard about your past with Frank, met Grady and a few other family members and I thought we would be good friends. We surpassed that years ago. We're best friends and now you want to go further, deeper. I haven't had a happy ending, Jess."
Jess slowly got out of bed and stood in front of him. "If you had to do your life over again, would you still befriend Molly, still marry Ruth? I believe you would, Seth. Just like I would marry Frank all over again, even knowing there would be a limit to our time together."
"The thought of losing you, Jess, is terrifying."
"What about the thought of losing me without ever knowing how much more our friendship can be?"
"I know you're right, Jess. Promise me I'll go first though, okay?"
"Oh Seth, the best I can do is try to make sure we go together." She kissed his cheek. "Three days ago I would have been afraid to have this discussion. Now I feel like we should have had it years ago."
"Why don't you get back into bed, Jess? Next week we'll go down to Portland and spend the day without prying eyes scrutinizing us."
Jessica got settled into bed again and Seth tucked her in. She lifted her face and puckered her lips for a kiss.
"Now Jess," began Seth. "What did we just discuss?"
"All I can recall is you saying something about passionately kissing me so I feel better," she smiled devilishly.
"You must be delirious," remarked Seth.
"Then give me that good medicine you're keeping from me."
Seth leaned down and kissed her briefly.
"I think you need to increase my dosage, doc."
Seth leaned in again and this time Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him until his toes curled. She suddenly pulled back.
"I don't want you to get sick," she said in answer to his questioning look.
"I'm immune to all germs but just in case, I think I need some of your good medicine." He took his time kissing her thoroughly before settling back in the chair. "Would you like to hear another story?"
Epilogue (In case a two chapter story needs one)
Seth settled in his seat at Fenway Park. He and Jessica came to spend the weekend in Boston and it has been a weekend of surprises. In the three months since she was sick, they had spent nearly every evening together whether cooking at her house or eating at one of the restaurants in town. He was content to take things slowly so it took a few weeks before the topic of them getting closer came up again. She brought it up.
They drove to Portland for a movie classic evening. Roman Holiday was playing and Jessica wanted to see it on the big screen again. She loved watching it and he loved watching her. Her kiss goodnight had been wonderful and she told him it was time to go to a ballgame. She made the arrangements.
The first surprise had been sharing rooms, well they were adjoining rooms but she invited him into hers. They made love like young lovers and he enjoyed it immensely. The second surprise was their seats. Ground level, behind home plate so he could see everything and not miss anything. He didn't think she was paying attention to the game at all but she sat holding his hand at times. She bought him peanuts and cokes and then pointed to the Jumbotron which said, "What are we waiting for?" and suddenly they were on the screen and the crowd was roaring. He immediately dropped to one knee and she threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately. The crowd roared and everyone around them congratulated them and sent several beers his way.
Now he sat dazed. The game was over and they waited for the crowd to thin out.
"Jess, I never got to propose to you." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders while she snuggled into him.
"Getting down on one knee was enough, dear."
"I'm just happy I could get up again with so many people watching." He chuckled. She joined in.
"I planned to be the one to drop to one knee but you were too quick for me," she admitted.
One eyebrow rose. "I see you'll be keeping me on my toes."
"You better believe it. A picture is being sent to the Cabot Cove Gazette as we speak."
"We'll be inundated when we get home tomorrow," said Seth.
"When we get home next week," corrected Jessica.
"Oh my, oh my," remarked Seth. "What else do you have up your sleeve?"
Jessica slowly stood and held out her hand to him. "Just wait and see."